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Wednesday, October 13, 2010

Image via Wikipedia Do you have a business that could really grow, if you could just get your hands on the financing? Or do you have a dream that you have always wanted to pursue, but you didn't have any rich relatives or friends that could put up the capital necessary to kick start your dream. If you find the bank will not loan you money to finance your dream, then you are not alone. Banks always have the power and prerogative to approve or deny the very crucial capital needed by all of us from time to time. With the dawn of a new age of economic decline, you and I are tapping into some very resourceful and innovated ways to acquire that much needed cash, and at the same time, we are taking some of that power back. If you have a good idea, or are very talented, and have a solid business plan, there just may be a new way to accomplish this accrual of dinero!
There are companies that created new ways to finance your dreams outside of the banking arena. Some of this financing requires payback by rewards, by repayment, and some by a small stake in the company that you are creating. Some that require a piece of the pie, also plan for an exit strategy after you have become established and successful. Some are peer-to-peer lenders that can actually get you a better interest rate, and provide you with the option of just paying off debt instead of finance a company. Some philanthropist provide micro-loans for small business which has yielded them a 98% pay back rate. With a little searching, you can find many of these companies online. Here a few sites that I have found that seem very lucrative for financing your dreams.
One of the largest funding platform around these day is a company called Kickstarter. On this site creative ideas can become a reality in a very short period of time. This all-or-nothing platform can provide funding for writers, film-makers, singers, songwriters, actors, artist, designers, illustrators, curators, performers, explorers, and entrepreneurs to bring their dreams into reality. Basically how this works is you create a starting page with a plan and a funding amount and a time limit to reach it up to 90 days. It is an all or nothing concept in that if you do not meet your goal amount, then you get no money. Those visiting the site pledge money for the cause, and if the goal is met, then the exchange of money goes through Amazon. Those receiving the money usually grant rewards for so much donated. An example of this would be if someone gets a record deal, then they may send those who donated a $1,000.00 a cd, and so forth! The great thing about this site is that the money doesn't have to be paid back, and the the borrower owns the rights to their property or ideas.
Another company that is making wave for computer geeks to finance their latest designs is Techstars. This is an innovative site that not only will provide up to $18,000.00 in funding, but also 3 months of training in your choice of Boston, Seattle, and New York City. They will provide all sorts of perks, as well as advice, mentoring, connections, legal service, hosting, and even a wonderful place to work. They require a small stake in your company but it is worth it. Out of the 600+ companies that apply only 10 are excepted into each program. You are still eligible to apply for consideration until 11/21/2010. So make your way to their site and check it out before the deadline is up!
Then their is Y Combinator. These guys will fund selected companies twice a year. They average capital they supply is around $18,000.00 and they usually fund 30 or so companies. They require you to relocate to Silicon Valley for 3 months training of intense training. All they require for this love is 2-10% stock in your company. They occasionally look outside of the technology world for companies to finance, so if you are serious check out their website for all details.
There are still many other sites similar to the above mentioned. You may also want to check out sites such as Prosper, Virgin Money, and Go 4 Funding. Some of these are peer-to-peer lending, the latter is more for investors and business owners. Happy searching and I hope you find a funding site today.